Apparatus for the correction of irregular teeth.



No. 804,200. PATENTED NOV. 14, 1905.

V. E. BARNES. APPARATUS FOR. THE CORRECTION OF IRREGULAR TEETH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VARNEY E. BARNES, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR THE CORRECTION OF IRREGULAR TEETH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1905.

Application filed November 30, 1904. Serial No. 234,837.

To (ti/Z whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LVARNEY E. BARNES, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Cleveland, county of Ouyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for the Correction of Irregular Teeth, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

My invention relates to apparatus for the correction of irregular teeth, its object being to effect such correction in an eflicient and expeditious manner.

The said invention consists of means hereinafter fully described, and particularly set forth in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan of a set of teeth, showing my improved apparatus applied thereto for the correction of the irregularity of one of such teeth. Fig. 2 represents that portion of my improved apparatus which is called the arch, such arch being shown as completely detached from the remainder of the apparatus. Fig. 3 represents, on an enlarged scale, a plan, partly in section, of one of the members constituting a part of my invention and forming the means by which one of the ends of the arch is secured in place. Fig. 4 represents a plan, partly in section, of a second form of such securing means. Fig. 5 represents, on an enlarged scale, a view, partly in section, of the illustrated hollow adjusting member forming a part of said securing means.

The said securing means includes a band A of thin sheet metal, such as German silver, to whose respective ends are soldered two fastening members a and a. Member a consists of a small threaded rod which is adapted to pass through a hole in the member a and secured by means of a nut a It will therefore be seen that by means of this nut the two ends of the band may be secured and drawn toward each other, so as to contract thearea inclosed by the band. The member a is secured to its respective end portion of the band at a marked distance from the extremity thereof. By means of such construction a flap or extension o is formed which underlaps the other end of the band when the latter is placed in position around a tooth, as shown in Fig. 3. The normal contour of this band is made substantially identical with the contour of the tooth to which it is to be applied. Fig. 3 illustrates the normal form of a band to be applied to a molar tooth, and Fig. 4 illustrates a band to be applied to a bicuspid tooth. The application of the band to a tooth is greatly facilitated by previously imparting to it such described contour, and I have found that such band may be made to form a much more satisfactory joint with the tooth than can be obtained by the use of the circular bands heretofore employed.

In applying the band to the tooth the fastening members 'are first loosely engaged, whereupon the band is placed around the tooth in proper position and the member (4 passed through the member a, a quantity of cement having first been applied to the band for the double purpose of holding the band in place and filling up any spaces intermediate of the band and tooth-surface, into which it might be possible for food to enter. The fastening members are then drawn toward each other tightly by means of the nut (0 the flap or extension underlapping the other end of the band. It will thus be seen that the confining-surface for the cement is made continuous, thus preventing such cement or any portion thereof from being exposed and from washing out. The overlapping portions of the band close upon each other tightly and prevent any particles of food from reaching the tooth through the joint formed by such two ends. In the bands heretofore used for this purpose the ends were not caused to overlap and a small open space was left between the extremities thereof, which exposed the tooth and also permitted the cement to ooze and wash out from between the band and tooth. Furthermore, such construction permitted food particles to gain access to the tooth and become lodged and eventually decay between the extremities of the band and the toothsurface to the detriment of the tooth. It will be seen that by means of my improved construction such contingencies cannot arise. After the band has been placed in the position described the edge contiguous to the outer end of the tooth is crimped over the edges of the latter, as shown in Fig. 1, and then burnished to give good contact, as has heretofore been the custom.

Soldered to the outer portion of the band is a socket A, provided with a threaded bore which is closed and rounded at the rear end, as shown in Fig. 8. Seated in this threaded bore is a threaded member (0 formed with a longitudinal smooth bore traversing its entire length. The arch B consists of a strip of] without providing its surface with any irregu wire curved so as to assume the general contour of the set of teeth and so as to be capable of lying adjacent thereto, as shown in Fig. 1, as has heretofore been the custom. The two end portions of this arch are respectively provided with an annular shoulder 6. This shoulder is made of a separate piece of metal which is soft-soldered in the required position. Such shoulders are therefore removably secured to the arch and their positions may be changed to suit varying conditions by merely melting the solder, moving the shoulders to the new positions required, and resoldering.

Two securing members, such as above described, are secured in place upon two teeth, respectively,upon opposite sides of the mouth. The ends of the arch are caused to project and fit in the two members (0 respectively, as shown in Fig. 1. When in this position, the necessary ligatures arecaused to connect the arch with the tooth or teeth whose irregularity it is desired to correct. One such ligature is shown in Fig. 1. Such ligation having been formed, the required force is applied to such tooth. by turning the member a so as to cause their heads or outer ends to bear against the shoulders 6.

By means of the above-described construction it will be seen that the arch may be made larity with the exception of the small shoulderb, and it thus presents a practically smooth surface in proximity to the gums and adjacent portions of the mouth, whereby injuries to the latter are reduced to a minimum. In the arch construction heretofore utilized a large part thereof has been of threaded formation, thus presenting a rough surface to the mouth, which rendered the latter liable to injury or irritation. By means of my abovedescribed construction it will be further seen that the socket is entirely closed to the entrance of particles of food by providing the described closed end, the opposite end being closed by the member a and shoulder bearing against the head of same. The rounded end of the socket prevents irritation of the tissues of the mouth.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention- 1'. In apparatus for the correction of irregular teeth, the combination of an arch adapted to lie adjacent to the teeth, a member arranged to be secured to a tooth, a threaded socket fixed to said securable member, and a member engaging the threads of said socket and engaging said arch.

2. In apparatus for the correction of irregular teeth, the combination of an arch adapted to lie adjacent to the teeth, a band adapted to surround a tooth, means for securing said band to the latter, an internally-threaded socket independent of the said securing means and fixed to said band, a hollow member threaded upon the outside and smooth upon its inner side, said hollow member engaging the threads of said socket, one end of the arch loosely extending into the latter, said arch provided with a shoulder engaged bysaid hollow member; and means for securing the other end of said arch.

3. In apparatus for the correction of irregular teeth, the combination of a member arranged to be secured to a tooth, a threaded socket fixed to said member and closed at one end, a member engaging the thread of said socket, an arch mounted in the last-named member, the latter engagingsaid arch, and means for securing the'other end of the said arch.

Signed by me this 26th dayof November,

VARNEY E. BARNES. Attest:

E. M. NORLING, A. E. MERKEL. 

